Missionary shot in Congo to speak at Lisburn church

Maud Kells, who has been working as a Missionary in The Democratic Republic of Congo for 47 years, will be the guest speaker this Sunday evening (May 31)in Lisburn Independent Methodist Church.

Maud trained as a nurse in Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and then felt the call of God to serve as a missionary in Africa.

She has made media headlines for two reasons this year. She was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list for work in Africa but a few days later suffered severe gunshot wounds in an attack by bandits in war torn Congo and was miraculously saved from death or paralysis.

“The bullet just missed my lung,” she explained.

“It just missed a large blood vessel by a fraction of a centimetre.

“If it had hit that I would have died on the spot.

“It came out almost on my spinal cord.

“Another fraction of a centimetre and I would have been paralysed.”

Maud has made a remarkable recovery and now wants to return to Congo to complete a building project of a pre-school nursery building.

During her distinguished missionary career she has witnessed many people coming saving faith in Jesus Christ.

She has used her medical skills to treat hundreds who had no other means of medical treatment in a remote community.

As a missionary she has not only engaged in medical work but in evangelism, Bible teaching, preaching and practical building projects.

During her years in Congo, Maud has overseen the building of a hospital, including a maternity unit, an operating theatre, a surgical ward and later a primary school.